Trail Talk Presentation by Don Reeves
Radios Roundtable Discussion Radios Roundtable Discussion By Don Reeves A Primer on UTV/ATV Radios – An Introduction to Communication Options Don Reeves – any misstatements herein are mine, and mine alone March 27, 2019
I. Radios add to the safety of riders and increase the enjoyment of the ride by allowing participants to communicate without needing to stop. I ask all my riders to carry a walkie talkie radio on every adventure.
A. Allows quick communication regarding break downs, trail hazards, oncoming traffic, riders separated from the pack, and general calls for assistance with flats or other buggy issues B. Allows for rider notifications about terrain, animal sightings, history of sites, upcoming ride breaks, and other issues
II. Two primary (major) wave lengths (distribute hand-outs)
A. VHF – Very High Frequency B. UHF – Ultra High Frequency A Primer on UTV/ATV Radios – An Introduction to Communication Options
A. VHF – Very High Frequency 1. Except for Marine Bands, the FCC generally requires a license to transmit on VHF. One can listen without a license. 2. Please, never transmit on the Race Team frequencies shown on the frequency handout from Rugged Radios. 3. Frequency range is 30 MHz to 300 MHz. 4. In marine applications, due to line of sight transmissions, the range of a 25- watt VHF radio in the open sea is 60 miles, for a tall ship. A small boat would transmit about 5 miles. 5. This band is the best for wide open areas as it has a longer wave length which gives a transmission longer distance. This band is commonly used in the Phoenix & Quartzsite areas. I have added several frequencies to the printed list for inclusion on your radios. These specific frequencies include Joe Osuch (VHF), the Bouse Ghost Riders (VHF), the Quartzsite Sun Riders (UHF) and the AZ State Parks & Trails (UHF). 6. VHF is not available on walkie talkie radios A Primer on UTV/ATV Radios – An Introduction to Communication Options
B. UHF – Ultra High Frequency 1. Frequency range is 300 MHz to 3,000 MHz. All walkie talkies use this wave length. 2. Better for in building penetration and forested canyon areas. The band is higher energy but travels less distance 3. Used by Flagstaff riders and my west Phoenix group due to the ability to communicate with all my riders who all own walkie talkie radios. A Primer on UTV/ATV Radios – An Introduction to Communication Options
III. Walkie talkie radios typically work in the FRS/GMRS frequency range. Their range can be just a few hundred yards in hilly mountainous terrain to over 30 miles as in from a hilltop to the valley below. Generally, the transmission range is less than a half mile. I recommend purchasing GMRS capable radios for their 5 watts of power (= more distance).
A. FRS (Family Radio Service) radios are now limited to a maximum of 2 watts of power (formerly 5 watts for combo FRS and GMRS radios) and have 22 channels available. This FRS designation was proposed by Radio Shack in 1994 to enable consumers to communicate at very low power amongst themselves without needing a license. FCC legal FRS radios have a fixed permanent antenna. A license is not required by the FCC to operate in this band.
B. GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service) Any walkie talkie radio exceeding 2 watts of power is classified as a GMRS radio. GMRS radios require a license and have 30 total channels. The FCC license is simple to get (as in no test) and costs $70.00 for 10 years for a family. This band allows for 50 watts of power for frequencies between channels 15 and 22 (which are shared with FRS). External antennas are permitted on GMRS radios. See hand out courtesy of Russ Bell. Caution, GMRS radios are still limited to .5 watt of power on channels 8 through 14.
A Primer on UTV/ATV Radios – An Introduction to Communication Options
IV. Walkie Talkie Radios – GMRS/FRS
A. Generic radios – Midland, Dewalt, Cobra, and Motorola B. Vendors for radios – Costco, Sam’s Club, Amazon, Best Buy, Home Depot C. Preprogrammed so the radio can immediately work right out of the blister pack D. Be sure an FRS only radio is capable of at least the new 2 watts of maximum power. Some radios may only allow 1 watt of power. The best trail option in this category is a GMRS capable radio with 5 watts of power. E. Consider purchasing an accessory known as a hand-held PTT (push to talk) microphone/speaker from Amazon or the manufacturer. Be sure it is compatible with your specific radio. This add on allows much quicker, and better use of the radio F. Set of 2 radios runs between $50 to $100. Having a spare radio in your rig is smart in the event of a radio malfunction or battery failure. Midland GTX models are a good option for a walkie talkie. G. VOX is the acronym for voice activated transmission, hands free A Primer on UTV/ATV Radios – An Introduction to Communication Options V. Rugged Radio hand held RH-5R & RH5X
A. Not a walkie talkie B. VHF and UHF dual band radio with 5 watts of power C. This radio cannot be used without being programmed! As of 1/1/2019, Rugged Radio told me they can no longer program these radios. The consumer must contact a knowledgeable person of how to program the radio before it will be of any use to you. The radio can be cloned by another Rugged or Baofeng radio owner if they have the appropriate cloning cable and know what they are doing. If you are ambitious, you can secure the BTech (most used) CHIRP cable including the software for around $20 and do the programming yourself…. good luck. D. Club member Jerry Klingensmith owns a handheld Rugged radio with the necessary cloning cable allowing him to program your radio in literally seconds. Jerry is an advanced rider and is very willing to help you get your handheld radio working on the frequently used VHF & UHF channels. E. Again, consider purchasing the hand-held speaker/microphone PTT accessory (clip mine to my chest pocket or seat belt for easy access). Other accessories include a bag to protect the radio, a mount to install in your rig to hold the radio, and a long-range dual band antenna with is longer than the one with the radio but does increase your radio’s territory coverage.
A Primer on UTV/ATV Radios – An Introduction to Communication Options
VI. Rugged Radio – UHF or VHF Mobile Radio (not a hand held) A. Rugged does not sell a dual band mobile radio. Nor does PCI. They claim there is not a good quality radio that works in both bands. I also believe the FCC has “influenced” their decision to not offer a dual band radio. B. VHF – RM-60V radio is 60 watts but again, the radio must be programmed before you can use the radio. Rugged no longer provides this programming service. C. UHF - RM-45U is a 45-watt radio but must be programmed by someone other than Rugged to use the radio. D. I was told by Rugged their radios can no longer be field programmed for a frequency without a laptop computer and the necessary software.
A Primer on UTV/ATV Radios – An Introduction to Communication Options
VII. Baofeng – BF-F8HP – a hand held radio (NOT a walkie talkie)
A. Dual band hand held radio (VHF and UHF frequencies) with up to 8 watts of power and a larger battery than a walkie talkie. It costs $63.00 on Amazon – see slide. B. Must be programmed before using. Talk with Jerry or another knowledgeable radio geek. C. Be careful…. this radio is not FCC approved as it exceeds power limitations, etc. and is considered a “ham” radio. To be legal, you must comply with the various licensing requirements when using this radio. The radio is Chinese made and with their disregard of FCC rules, a non-compliant radio. Not sure how much longer they will be available on Amazon. D. I am not sure, but the radio may still be field programmable. In other words, you can punch in a specific frequency when on a ride, without a laptop. E. This radio may be outlawed by the FCC yet this year. A smart rider might want to own a couple of these radios before they are no longer available.
A Primer on UTV/ATV Radios – An Introduction to Communication Options
VIII. My current radio set up
A. Due to my group of riders all using walkie talkie radios (UHF only) in their rigs, I opted for a Rugged Radio RM-45U (UHF only) with an intercom system and a dual band antenna. One may wonder why a dual band antenna with a UHF mobile radio; I have jumper cables to connect my Baofeng BF-F8HP radio to my intercom and dual band antenna to convert my set up to VHF if I am on a ride where VHF is being used to communicate. B. While I believe Gary Hornsby to be the best mechanic in the Valley, Gary admittedly acknowledges that programming a radio is not one of his skills. Gary will expertly install a radio, intercom and antenna in your rig, but to get the radio to work, you will have to program the radio yourself or find someone to do it for you. I decided to use Dan Hurn, owner of SinFab (Sinister Fabrication) located at 23639 N 35th Dr in Glendale for my radio install. Dan is a Rugged Radio dealer and as part of the install, will program the frequencies you want into your radio.
IX. The Spot or the Garmin In-Reach satellite communicator is a worthy addition to your rig for emergency situations when your mobile telephone is out of range for cell reception and you are unable to raise any listeners on your VHF/UHF radio.
Channels to Frequency Chart Source: https://www.ruggedradios.com/PDF/Frequencies/Frequency-RH7X.pdf